Navy apprehends six persons engaged in illegal harvesting of sea cucumber

Six (06) persons who engaged in illegal harvesting of sea cucumber were apprehended by Navy during a patrol carried out in seas North of Iranathivu Island, today (04^th March 2020).

Keeping with Sri Lanka Navy’s efforts to restrain illegal fishing for preserving marine resources in the territorial waters, an operation was carried out today(04^th March) by naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command in seas off Iranathivu Island. During the raid, 06 persons who were diving for catching sea cucumber were apprehended. Further, 254 Nos. of sea cucumber caught by them were also taken into naval custody. Naval personnel also seized 02 dinghies, 16 oxygen tanks and few fishing gear during the raid.

The apprehended, aged from 25 to 50 were identified as residents of Mannar area. The suspects along with the dinghies, OBMs, stock of sea cucumber and fishing gear were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries-Kilinochchi for further investigation.